Process of preparing 4-hydroxy-3-keto-delta4-steroids



United States Patent "ic I WW3 Patented Apr. 13, 1965 Example 1.4-hydr0xy-test0ster0ne PROCESS OF 4 HYDROXY 0.500 g. of 4-chloro-testosterone acetate in 40 cm. of

3 KET0 A4 STER0H)S t.butanol (or Lamyl alcohol) were refluxed for 15 min- Bruno Camerino, Milan, Bianca Patelli, Stradella, Pavia, Utes in ntimgen atmosphem A Solution of 0-500 g of and Roberto Sciaky, Milan, Italy, assignors to Societa 5 potassium hydroxide (or sodium hydroxide) in cm. Farmaceufici Italia, Milan, Italy, an Italian corporation of water was then added. One hour after the addition,

N g- Filed F 1963, 257,077 the solution was neutralized with acetic acid and extracted Chums pnomy appllcaflon Italy 1962 2814/62 with ethyl acetate. The organic extract was Washed With 5 Claims. (Cl. 260-397.4)

5% aqueous sodium hydroxide and then with water to neutrality and the solvent was evaporated in vacuo. The residue, which presents a A at 280 mg with E=7,000 g 4hydmxy3 Lem-A Sterolds of the androstane and was chromatographed on Florisil. The fractions after -nor-androstane series. In our Patent No. 3,068,247 of December 11, 1962 bemg elllted with benZe ne'ethy1 efher by Volume we describe and claim a process to obtain 4-hydroxy- 15 i weld? 4'hydmy'tesms'temne upon recfystallza' 3-keto-A -steroids (III) of the normal and l9-nor-series by addmon of ethyl ether M'P=221 223 10 Our invention relates to an improved process of obtainfrom the corresponding 4-chloro-derivatives (I) by reac- E l 2 4-h dr0xy-17a-methyl-test0sterone tion with oxygen in the presence of the potassium salt I of a tertiary aliphatic alcohol, such as potassium -t.but- Operatlng as In pl I1 ng 0.500 g. of 4-cnloroylate, and by subsequent catalytic hydrogenation of the 0 17wmethy14est0ster0ne, We i d 4 ydr0xy-17a-methresulting 4-hydroxy-3-keto-A steroids (II). yl'testostemne; M'P'=170 172 f I R R I o, Hz

' Pd/C t tiicfiiiht I 01 OH OH I II III I aqueous caustic alkali T tertiary aliphatic alcohol h i R=H CH Example 3.-4-hydrox -19-n0r-test0sterone We have now found that 4-chloro-3-keto-A -androstenes 3 Operating as in Example 1, using 1,5 g, of 4-chloro- (I) of the normal and 19-nor series, upon reaction with 19-nor-testosterone acetate, we obtained 4-hydroxy-19- an alkaline hydroxide dissolved in a tertiary aliphatic nor-testosterone (M.P.=l88190 C.). alcohol in an inert gas atmosphere directly yields the corresponiiing 4'hydroxy'3'lleto'Al-androstenes (H) 4 Operating as in Example 1, we obtained from 1.5 g. of According to our present invention, 4-chloro-3-keto-d 4O 4qch1om 17a methy1 l9gnmutegtosterone 4 hydroxy l7u sgel-olds 3 the zl t g 1 i methyl-19-nor-testoster0ne (M.P.=168-170 C.).

re are accor in o amenno e a e ran a en s 559501 and 557,73? and Camerino U.S. Paints 2,953, Eimmple 5' 411fi'dlhydroxwefmsteo'le 582 and 3,025,310) are dissolved in a tertiary aliphatic Operating as m Example We obtamed m alcohol, such as tertiary butyl alcohol or tertiary amyl alzg i' g ig t i fgig fig f gg 4llfi'dlhydroxy' cohol, and reacted with an excess of aqueous alkaline hydroxide, such as sodium or potassium hydroxide, in an Example 6' 4 11/3'd'hydmxy'1hwnethymestosterone inert gas atmosphere, such as nitrogen, in the warm, prefoperating as in EXample We Obtained fIOm erably at the boiling point temperature of the alcohol B' S/ Y' y i 1 used, over a period of time from a few minutes to several dlhydroxyHwmethyuestostemne Example 4 .4-hydroxy-1 7a-methyl-1 9-110r-test0sterone hours. When the treatment is over, the reaction mixture We mum:

is neutralized with an acid, such as acetic acid or a dilute A Process of Preparing a compound Selected from mineral acid and then diluted with Water. The steroid the group ccnsistiPg of A f l' of is then isolated, preferably by extraction with a waterthe andtostane Series Whlch retwng immiscible organic solvent. 50 responding 4-chloro-3-keto-A -stero1d, dissolved 1n a saturated hydrocarbon aliphatic tertiary alcohol with up 4 I to five carbon atoms, with an aqueous alkaline hydroxide andmstenes of the normal and 19mm genes may be while maintaining the reaction mixture in a nitrogen fied either by crystallization from an organic solvent or atmosphere and a Warm temperature to yield directly by chromatography on sorbents such as Florisil (an acthe 4 E,i

tivated magnesium silicate) and subsequent elution and crystallization. They may be transformed into their acylates by acylation of the secondary hydroxyl groups present therein with the chloride or anhydride of an organic The resulting crude products, ie 4-hydroxy-3-keto-A 2. A process of preparing 4-hydroxy-testosterone, which comprises reacting 4-chloro-testosterone acetate, dissolved in a saturated hydrocarbon aliphatic tertiary alcohol I q 5 with up to five carbon atoms, with an aqueous alkaline acid the optlonal l of ter t1my amines and the 6 hydroxide, while maintaining the reaction mixture in a Subsequent Purification according to the usual pfocedufesnitrogen atmosphere, and at the boiling point of said terti- Y Y- 0f the andfostane and ary aliphatic alcohol, to yield directly 4-hydroxy-testosnor-androstane series are therapeutically useful as anaterone,

bolic and alldfogfinic products- 3. A process of preparing 4-hydroxy-l7a-methyl-tes- The following examples serve to illustrate, but are not tosterone, which comprises reacting 4-chloro-l7a-methylintended to limit, the present invention. testosterone, dissolved in a saturated hydrocarbon aliphatic 3 tertiary alcohol with up to five carbon atoms, with an aqueous alkaline hydroxide, while maintaining the reaction mixture in a nitrogen atmosphere and at the boiling point of said tertiary aliphatic alcohol, to yield directly 4-hydroxy-17a-methyl-testosterone.

4. A process of preparing 4,1lfi-dihydroxy-testosterone, which comprises reacting 4-chloro-1lB-hydroxytestosterone, dissolved in a saturated hydrocarbon aliphatic tertiary alcohol with up to five carbon atoms, with an aqueous alkaline hydroxide, while maintaining the reaction mixture in a nitrogen atmosphere, and at the boiling point of said tertiary aliphatic alcohol, to yield directly 4,115-dihydroxy-testosterone.

5. A process of preparing 4,1lfi-dihydroXy-lh-methyltestosterone, which comprises reacting 4-chloro-11fi-hydroxy-17ot-methyl-testosterone, dissolved in a saturated hydrocarbon aliphatic tertiary alcohol with up to five car- References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,068,247 12/62 Camerino et al. 260-397.4

OTHER REFERENCES Latimer et al.: Reference Book of Inorganic Chemistry, published by the MacMillan Company (1940), New York, page 13.

LEWIS GOTTS, Primary Examiner. 

1. A PROCESS OF PREPARING A COMPOUND SEELCTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF 4-HYDROXY-3-KETO-$4-STEROIDS OF THE ANDROSTANE SERIES, WHICH COMPRISES REACTING THE CORRESPONDING 4-CHLORO-3-KETO-$4-STEROID, DISSOLVED IN A SATURATED HYDROCARBON ALIPHATIC TERTIARY ALCOHOL WITH UP TO FIVE CARBON ATOMS, WITH AN AQUEOUS ALKALINE HYDROXIDE WHILE MAINTAINING THE REACTION MIXTURE IN A NITROGEN ATMOSPHERE AND A WARM TEMPERATURE, TO YIELD DIRECTLY THE 4-HYDROXY-3-KETO-$4-STEROID. 